Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 255, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 October 1913 — CHINAMEN FLOCK TO UNITED STATES [ARTICLE]

CHINAMEN FLOCK TO UNITED STATES

Commissioner Would Registei All Here Now, Afterward Deport Those Without Papers WHITE SLAVE TRAFFIC CHECKED Laborers on Sugar Plantations In Hawaii Found* to" Be in a State of Vassalage—Mormons Still Coming. Washington, D. C. —CommissionerGeneral of Immigration Keefe in his annual report to Secretary Nagel laid special stress on Chinese Immigration, labor conditions In Hawaii and the status of the international white slave traffic. The business of smuggling Chinese into this country has been growing steadily in spite of the efforts of Inspectors. Most of the Celestials come over the Canadian border. Owing to the length of the border, Mr. Keefe reports It Is Impossible for his agents to keep these activities within bounds. Last year more than 8,000 Chinamen landed in Canada. A great percentage of these have entered the United States. The Government has fifty-five cases In court at present, but this does not represent a fraction of the number who 1 have entered this country. The ease with which Chinamen can get into the United States from Canada has caused an Increase of more than 100 per cent in the number of immigrants who have entered the Dominion within the past five years. Canadian statistics give 22,000 Chinamen residents, although it Is known that two or three times that number have entered the country in the past decade. The others have been smuggled across the American border. Mr. Keefe advises Secretary Nagel that the only way to handle the Chinese situation Is to register all Celestials now In this country, Irrespective of the manner of their entry, and to allow them all to stay here. He will suggest that Congress then pass a law that every Chinaman found without registration papers ho exported. Mr. Keefe reports that more than 1,000 arrests have been made under the Mann White Slavery act, and that the Government has been successful In stamping out the scourge in Its most virulent form, bnt that the department needs more Inspectors. After a two months’ trip In Hawaii, Mr. Keefe made a report to Secretary Nagel on labor conditions jon the sugar plantations, severely arraigning the great land owners for keeping the greatest part of the population in a state of vassalage; He wishes Congress to take action to remedy the “commissary store” system, by which the underpaid laborers are deprived of their meagre earnings by overcharges for foodstuffs. United States Immigration Inspector John Clark of Montreal conferred with Secretary Nagel. One of the subjeots under consideration was Mormon Immigration. Officials say the Immigration of this class has dwindled greatly during the last year owing to the activity of the English authorities, who have thrown every obstacle In the way of the missionaries from Utah, but that there is Still an occasional influx of Mormons.